We Are Finally Free
by P.B. Fluff
Summary: Song fic about the end of DH from Ron's point of view. It's to the song The Great Escape. RHr with a bit of implied NL. Rated for one swear word.


Song fic about the end of DH from Ron's point of view. It's to "The Great Escape". I just felt sort of like it fit. R/Hr w/ a bit of implied N/L.

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Voldemort's high, clear voice was ricocheting off the rafters of Hogwarts. "Harry Potter is Dead." It _couldn't _be. As Voldemort's voice continued to pound into their ears they made their way outside to see for themselves if any truth was in his words. Ron felt slightly less scared as Hermione squeezed his hand, and, momentarily he felt a surge of the hot flush that had engulfed his body when he'd kissed her only hours before. Now it seemed days earlier, weeks even. He wished it had been weeks earlier. Because if Harry really was dead, they were all going to die too.

And there he was, mouth open awkwardly, arms lolling about as Hagrid carried him.

_...It's goodbye..._

"NO!" he shouted. Hermione and Ginny shouted as well. Was this it? Had the nutters really won? Were they really going to have to do all this _"for the greater good"_ and _"magic is might"_ shit? With a slight shock he momentarily got a mental image of Hermione being carted away to torture and death for being Muggle-born. Ignoring the hot, sick dread that had sunk into his stomach like molten lead, he squeezed Hermione's hand that had remained in his.

_But we got one more night_

His resolve solidified. If Harry really was dead, and Voldemort had won, and they did take her away, he would find a way back to her, he would fight through anything for her, and he would do his best to try to kill that damn snake and Voldemort himself or die trying. He had abandoned Harry's quest once, he would not abandon it again.

_Let's make peace with an empty town_

If the world had gone wrong, he would make it right.

_We can make it right_

Voldemort was still trying to convince everyone of Harry's death, and unable to contain it, Ron shouted, "He beat you!" Others were shouting as well. He wouldn't be alone. They would all fight. The time for pretending otherwise, for protection's sake had gone.

_Throw it away  
Forget yesterday  
We'll make the great escape  
We won't hear a word they say_

Everyone was refusing to hear Voldemort, refusing to listen. Voldemort just didn't seem to understand that they weren't all as cracked as he and Bellatrix were.

_They don't know us anyway_

And Neville was living proof of it. Brave enough to stand up to him and shout, "Dumbledore's Army!"

_Watch it burn_

His head was in flames.

_Let it die_

Ron watched in amazement as Neville slayed the snake with the sword, and baffled at how that came out of the hat.

_Cause we are finally free tonight_

Chaos ensued. This was it.

_Tonight will change our lives  
It's so good to be by your side_

Just before they were separated, Ron squeezed Hermione's hand one last time, possibly _the_ last time and whispered, "Be careful."

_But we'll cry  
We won't give up the fight_

None of them would give up, it didn't matter that Seamus had been a prat once about Harry or that Michael had been a prat to Ginny, they were all going to fight till the end.

_We'll scream loud at the top of our lungs  
And they'll think it's just cause we're young_

Mum had insisted that Ginny leave, but there she was fighting, Ron caught a glimpse of her when he'd looked to find Hermione. Briefly, he remembered Mum saying once that Ginny was only so stubborn because she was young, but Ron knew better. Feeling a surge of pride for his family, he knew that she knew she was fierce, and she was going to help no matter what.

_And we'll feel so alive_

His heart was thundering madly, Greyback was terrifying, but nowhere near as terrifying as the thought of losing another friend or sibling.

And somehow, miraculously, Harry was alive, and Voldemort dead.

_Throw it away  
Forget yesterday  
We'll make the great escape_

He and Hermione rushed to hug him, followed by everyone else it seemed. They were all shouting, elated. For a brief moment, he allowed himself complete jubilance. Fred would have wanted it.

_  
We won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway_

As if through a haze, Harry found them and they followed him to Dumbledore's office. Harry made the choice to bring about the end of all three of the Deathly Hallows.

_Watch it burn  
Let it die  
Cause we are finally free tonight_

Luna was dancing on the steps of Hogwarts in celebration. Neville seemed to be trying to get near her in spite of all the many compliments he was receiving. And in an act that was slightly reminiscent of Hermione's spontaneous kiss, Ron saw Neville hug her.

It seemed morbid that on the bloodstained steps, love was blossoming and all around, Ron could feel an aura of mournful joy. He was sad about Fred, his teasing had driven him up the wall, but he'd loved his brother. He was sad, but he knew that Fred, and Lupin and Tonks most likely too, would not have wanted them to dwell on their unhappiness. His smile accompanied tears as he heard his brother's voice come into his thoughts unbidden. "Pathetic. Voldemort's gone, you've got your future stretching out in front of you to spend with your best mates and with the girl of your dreams, and you're crying?"

_No_, he thought to the voice. _I'm celebrating._ And without hesitation pulled Hermione into a kiss.

_Throw it away  
Forget yesterday  
We'll make the great escape  
We won't hear a word they say  
They don't know us anyway  
Watch it burn  
Let it die  
_

He pulled away. There would be time to catch up on three years of sexual tension later. He walked over to where his family had returned, to mourning over Fred's body.

"I'll miss you, Fred," he whispered shakily to his brother's lifeless form. "Who's going to take the mickey out of me for snogging my best friend?"

"Hey!" George said indignantly. "Last I checked I was still here!"

There was one awful moment where they all silently agreed, "Thank God" and then they all laughed. It was morbid, Ron knew, but it was a relief to hear George's sarcasm again. George was going to keep on joking, the sun which was rising now, would keep on rising. They would be ok.

_Cause we are finally free tonight…_

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